Plant a Seed Event Encourages Women in Petroleum Engineering

On Thursday, October 27, OU’s Women in Petroleum and Geological Engineering (WPGE) hosted their third annual Plant a Seed dinner in the Scholar’s Room of the OU Memorial Union. Bringing together faculty, students and alumni, the event focuses on planting a seed of awareness about the challenges faced by women in the oil and gas industry. With those challenges, though, comes inspiration to overcome and succeed, which is what the evening’s guest speakers, Karen Anthis Faszold, Kristin Weyand Cook and Sherri Irvin, achieved.

Karen Anthis Faszold, OU Class of 2010, is a senior technical professional with Halliburton Energy Services. She oversees fracture stimulation jobs to maintain quality assurance and ensure stimulation success, while also offering design and service advice to clients. Within her five years with the company, Karen has received two title changes and championed Halliburton’s ground water protection and conservation services.  She continually finds new ways to increase job efficiency and customer satisfaction. Her presentation encouraged students to be determined.

The second speaker, Kristin Weyand Cook, is a production engineer and current deputy managing editor for The Way Ahead, the Society of Petroleum Engineer’s publication by and for young professionals. Upon graduating from OU in 2011, Kristin spent four years with ConocoPhillips in New Mexico. Her skill set includes: implementing artificial lift solutions, optimizing base production and managing daily operations of tight gas sands and coal bed methane wells. She encouraged students to spark their creativity and use it to achieve success.

Lastly, OU Presidential Research Professor of Philosophy and Women’s and Gender Studies and co-director of the Center for Social Justice at OU Sherri Irvin spoke on her area of research involving institutional diversity and equity, including how to recognize and combat bias.

These three women represent the excellence and the power that women bring to the workplace. WPGE works diligently to build networks and to provide mentoring to support the endeavors of women in the petroleum industry, as well as embracing differences and providing opportunities for its members to grow in their professional and personal confidence.